Malaria & Albino Children Minutes January 21, 2009

Blain and Rita traveled to Tanzania in September.  Here are some interesting facts about their presentation.

• Canadian Government asked Canadian Rotarians to go to Tanzania because Tanzania had a no free net policy
• Sept 15th, 2008 - 32 members (half from Canada and half from the US) traveled to Tanzania to distribute Malaria nets
• they divided into 4 teams and went to the schools to deliver 100,000 nets that were purchased at $55.00 a net
• malaria nets were purchased in Tanzania
• last year Blain came to our club to speak about this project and ask for assistance in raising $534,000 for this project.  They raised $620,000.  (Awesome job guys!)
• malaria kills between 1-3 million people per year
• malaria is a blood parasite that lives for two weeks in mosquitoes and the other half of it's life is in humans
• mosquitoes are ranked one of the most dangerous animals in the world
• most affected by malaria are women and children in Africa Sahara
• there is no vaccine for malaria
• malaria nets are good for about 5 years.  Treatment packages can be bought which are WHO certified.
• remainder of the distribution is carried on by the local Rotarians because this group was only there for 2 weeks

Something one team stumbled upon while distributing the nets to one school....

• one team was visiting a school in Mitindo
• at this school were visually impaired children as well as albino children
• Albinism is a lack ofmelaninpigment in the eyes, skin and hair (or more rarely the eyes alone). Albinism results from inheritance ofrecessive alleles.
• one in 20,000 people have Albinism, 1 in 4000 people in Africa have Albinism
• 270,000 people in Tanzania are affected by Albinism
• more than 50 Albino people were murdered last year in Tanzania
• sorcerers buy Albino body parts for "good luck"
• miners believe the feet of these children have magic powers and will bring them riches
• fishermen weave the children's hair into their nets and believe the hands of the children will bring them good luck
• if the murderers of these children have time, they will collect blood from the body as long as body parts and bring them to a witch doctor to make a potion
• families are afraid and ashamed to keep their children in their homes

This is a tragedy.  While they were there the group did a collection and bought these children toys and hats and gave the left over money to the school.  The children at this school were so sad and had nothing to play with.  They had a very old braille machine and were able to buy extra paper for this machine so they could have new material at the school. 

What can we do to help this school?  Blain and Rita are collecting money to make bunk beds for all the children at the school so they can each have their own bed.  The Rotary Club of Mwanza will oversee the building and delivery of materials.  They need to make 45 bunk beds and each bed costs $125.00.  If you would like to help in any way, you can email Rita at rita.westbrook@sympatico.ca or Blain at bmccutchen@rogers.com.

If you are interested in having them come out to another club and speak, I would personally suggest it.  I missed a lot of information here, but the presentation was very eye opening and sad.

Thank you Rita and Blain for coming out and sharing your story with us.  We hope you reach your goal and continue serving our brothers and sisters in Tanzania.